The unexpected trait Salesforce looks for in job candidates

Experience volunteering is
a plus when you're applying to Salesforce.Flickr/Todd Dailey

Salesforce receives 1,300 job applications every day.

How can you make yours stand out?

According to Ana Recio, senior vice president of global
recruiting, technical chops are hardly enough for the
multibillion dollar cloud computing company. In reviewing résumés
and in job interviews, Salesforce looks for people who genuinely
want to make a difference in the world.

"We just constantly look for people who have that extra
sparkle," she said.

If that concept sounds fuzzy, Recio said there are a number of
factors the company uses to determine whether a candidate is the
change agent they're looking for — no matter whether they're
applying for an entry-level or a senior role.

In particular, they look at the impression you made on your
previous organization: "What did you do to differentiate your job
from others? What was your absolute impact, your legacy? We
always look for people who truly were kind of thought leaders and
change agents."

For example, Recio said, maybe you launched an incredibly
successful product or you marketed that product a little
differently than usual.

Just as important, Recio said the company is interested in the
way you spend your time outside of work. Many current
employees have volunteered abroad; others are renowned
musicians; one is a former Olympiad.

"It's almost like work is their hobby because their personal
lives are full of these incredible accomplishments," she said.

These experiences are assets in job candidates because Salesforce
prides itself on enabling employees to give back to their
communities. The company uses the 1-1-1 model, meaning they
dedicate 1% of their equity, 1% of their employee time, and 1% of
their product to form the Salesforce Foundation.

In fact, Recio said Salesforce gives employees six fully paid
days a year "to go out and make a difference." Some people have
traveled to Costa Rica to build houses; others have stayed local
and volunteered at their kids' schools.

To be sure, Salesforce isn't the only organization that
encourages humanitarianism —
companies from Deloitte to Autodesk also pay their
employees to volunteer. Presumably, these companies also value a
job candidate's demonstrated interest in social change.

Yet Salesforce sees itself as the go-to place for talented
applicants with the potential and drive to change the world.

"Of course we're going to lead the industry in all these
different categories," Recio said, referring to Salesforce's
technological innovations. "But in addition we're also going to
lead the industry in enabling people to really shine outside of
here, too."